This weekly column has covered some fairly standardised equipment thus far. Accessories that are specialised undoubtedly, but the majority of them have been perfectly adequate for use outside of their primary function as a gaming device. The Razer Orbweaver however, is different. Designed for videogames and almost entirely without use outside of interactive entertainment, the Razer Orbweaver is decidedly limited in its scope, but it’s for this exact same reason why it’s such a remarkable piece of equipment.

The bullet points of the Razer Orbweaver’s sell sheet say it all: this is a product made for ‘elite’ gamers. Twenty programmable mechanical buttons, eight available key maps, a programmable eight way thumb pad, a reflex button and an alt control; if any of these functions are meaningless the Razer Orbweaver is not a product that has been designed to appeal to you. However, for that core audience who are salivating at the prospect of such immediate customisability on such an impressively ergonomic base there’s only one thing that matters: the Razer Orbweaver delivers on its promises.

Even in its default arrangement – the Razer Orbweaver is automatically installed in minutes on any modern Windows or Mac OS – this is a product that offers a vastly improved gaming experience over a standard keyboard. Massively multiplayer online (MMO) videogames are arguably the key association, but first-person shooters (FPS) and even action role-playing games (RPGs) can benefit from the immediacy of the button arrangement and thumb pad. The mechanical buttons demand a deep depression to function ensuring that the player invoke their commands with conviction, but the elegantly designed (and fully adjustable) palm and wrist wrests are so comfortable that the effort required for such inputs goes entirely unnoticed, especially when compared to using a standard keyboard for lengthy gaming sessions.

Of course, being a Razer product, the Razer Orbweaver is complimented by all sorts of additional features. Backlit keys are present at all times, while unlimited programmable macros and interchangeable videogame profiles are available through the optional software. It’s hard to fault the Razer Orbweaver, simply because it delivers on each and every one of its promises. Complicated an unwieldy at first, after a small amount of time with the Razer Orbweaver it will become near-essential for any MMO player, and even for FPS gamers too.